MANDI, Himachal Pradesh – A devastating flash flood triggered by a cloudburst wreaked havoc in Himachal Pradesh’s Mandi town on Monday night, July 28, 2025, claiming three lives, burying more than 20 vehicles, and inundating numerous houses. Officials confirmed the extent of the damage on Tuesday morning.
The intensity of the rainfall was so severe that gushing waters in the Sukati nallahs (drains) flowing through the city swept huge mounds of debris. The debris spread to several locations within a five-kilometer radius, primarily affecting Jail Road, Saini Mohalla, and the Zonal hospital area.
“Three people died, one sustained injuries, while one woman is missing,” Deputy Commissioner, Mandi, Apoorva Devgan told media on Tuesday. He added that rescue operations are in full swing, and approximately 15-20 people have already been rescued from the affected areas.
The disaster has also significantly impacted transportation networks. The Chandigarh-Manali National Highway has been closed at multiple points, specifically 4 Mile, 9 Mile, and Dwada, due to washed-away road stretches.
This fresh calamity adds to the woes of the people and the administration in Mandi district, which has already endured a month of monsoon mayhem. Just weeks prior, on the night of June 30-July 1, 15 people died in rain-related incidents across the Seraj, Nachan, Dharampur, and Karsog Assembly constituencies within the district.
Leader of the Opposition and former chief minister Jai Ram Thakur, along with DC Mandi Apoorva Devgan, were on the spot overseeing the rescue and relief efforts.
Meanwhile, incessant rains across the state have also triggered landslides, blocking the Shimla-Mataur National Highway at Old Kangra Ghat. Reports of uprooting trees and disruptions to electricity supply have also poured in from various parts of Himachal Pradesh.
The local Met office had issued an orange alert for heavy to very heavy rainfall in isolated areas of Kangra, Mandi, and Kullu districts for Tuesday. It also issued a yellow warning for heavy rains at isolated places in Chamba, Shimla, and Sirmaur districts on Tuesday, and for Una, Kangra, Mandi, and Kullu districts on Wednesday, indicating continued adverse weather conditions.
Since the onset of the monsoon in the state on June 20, up until the evening of July 28, Himachal Pradesh has suffered estimated losses to the tune of ₹1523 crore. So far, 90 people have died and 35 have gone missing in rain-related incidents across the state, with 1320 houses fully or partially damaged.
According to the State Emergency Operation Centre (SEOC), a total of 200 roads, including 121 in the disaster-hit Mandi district, were closed for vehicular traffic on Monday night. Additionally, 62 power distribution transformers and 110 water supply schemes have been affected across the state. These numbers are expected to increase as fresh assessments are made following the latest cloudburst.
Flash Floods Devastate Mandi In Himachal Pradesh, Killing Three And Causing Widespread Destruction
